Qualities of Collective Learning
Topsoil
Collective practice • Pedagogy • Qualities • Dialogue • Methods of work • Exercises • Scores
This pamphlet emerged from the conversations Topsoil, a curatorial and research collective, instigated with a series of different artists and collectives throughout 2022. Through these conversations, Topsoil learned that there are many reasons for gathering and many ways of working collectively, with many conditions and intentions shaping these collective endeavors.
For this publication Topsoil have created an inventory of qualities that characterize collective work based on their experience of the online exchanges and their subsequent mappings. Topsoil hold the belief that transformation is something that can be exercised. Therefore, these same qualities have also been translated into exercises that can help readers to rehearse the different aspects of collective work presented in the publication.
100 x 297 mm • 10 pages • leporello fold • 120gr offset paper
Logbook
30 March 2022
HumDrumPress and topsoil first meet during the School of Commons intensive weekend
5 May 2022
Initial Zoom call with topsoil to discuss and brainstorm ideas for their publication
5 May 2022
Preparation of dedicated topsoil google folder. Amy uploads notes from the initial meeting, including next steps
(Sometime between May and November), 2022
topsoil upload their initial text and design-based content into the google folder
7 November, 2022
Second Zoom call with topsoil to discuss the content that has been upload and to concretise ideas for the publication
6 December, 2022
End of Year wrap-up email for topsoil to share where they are at in their process and where support can best be placed
31 January, 2023
Collective editing session of content. All members of topsoil and HumDrumPress meet together to go through all of the content (design, images and texts) and edit. Each party has 30 minutes to look at the text and design, then, in discussion we agree what can be edited and where
12 February, 2023
topsoil send HumDrumPress revised files with the agreed edits in. Amy oversees a full edit of the new content
1 May, 2023
HumDrumPress email requesting topsoil compile information for the HumDrumPress colophon and send over information that can be included on the HumDrumPress website about the publication, and also sent to distributors
5 May, 2023
HumDrumPress send topsoil the first draft of the publication for comments and edits
14 April, 2023
topsoil in contact with final round of edits (design and text) as discussed in the collective editing session
19 July, 2023
Humdrumpress send final files with all revised edits
22 August, 2023
topsoil sign off files
28 September
final proofread by Amy
1–10 October, 2023
Final design by Wibke. Sent to print, and uploaded onto HumDrumPress website
16–24 October, 2023
Publications arrived. Wibke folds and assembles all publications